Pneumatic straw-stacker.



No. 686,!44. Patented Nov. 5,1901.

.1. B. SCHUMAN.

PNEUMATIC STRAW STACKER.

(Application filed June 15, 1901.) (No Model.)

w/rA/kssg //v v/v fan '6 JameaBSmuma/n UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. SCHUMAN, OF COLUMBIA CITY, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE INDIANA MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

PNEUMATIC STRAW STACKERe srncrrrcazrrou formingpart of Letters Patent No. 686,144, dated November 5, 1901.

Application filed June 15, 1901. Serial No. 64,727. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known thatLJAMEs B.SOHUMAN,a citizen of the United States, residing at-Columbia City, in the county of Whitley and State of'Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Straw-Stackers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention consists in certain improvements on that which forms the subjectmatter of Letters Patent of the United States No. 594,124, issued to me November 23, 1897, whereby a better means of driving the rotary fork is provided.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear end of a threshing-machine or separator-provided with a pneumatic straw-stacker embodying my present invention; Fig. 2, a sectional rear elevation thereof as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional View through the fan of the straw-stacker, its housing, and adjacent parts as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 3 3 in Fig. 2; and Fig 4, a detail view showing the idler and its adjusting devices more plainly.

The threshing-machine or separator-1O and the strawstacker trunk or chute 11 are or may be of any ordinary or desired form, and not being peculiar to my present invention will not be further described herein, except incidentally in describing said invention.

The fan-shaft 12, the fans13 thereon, and the fan-housing 14 are substantially like those shown in myPatent No. 594,124, be-

fore mentioned, except that the construction has been somewhat improved. The rotary fork 15 is also (generally speaking) very similar to that shown and described in said patent, except that the central portion thereof is now formed as a pulley over which a driving-belt 16 runs. This pulley is driven from'a small pulley 17 on a counter-shaft 18, and this in turn is driven by a'belt 19, running to a pulley 2O thereon, from a pulley 21 on the fan-shaft 12. These pulleys are so proof the fans. i In order to bring the two members of the belt 16 to the outside of the casing at the proper point and near together, I provide an idler 22, which may also be and preferably is at the same time a tightener-pulley,

by means of which I am enabled to regulate the tension of the belt 16. This pulley 22 is shown as mounted on a rock-shaft 23, mounted in bearings on members of the frame of the separator 10, being immediately carried by a wrist w of a crank-arm of said shaft, the position of which is governed by a pawl 9, mounted on an adjacent portion of the frame of the separator and engaging with a. segmental rack r on the shaft 23, the latter being operated when desired by a lever-handle 24.

In order to prevent the straw from being thrown back onto the sieves of the separator by the rotary fork and at the same time to provide a free exit for the chad and dust, so that the same may be delivered freely to the straw-stacker, I have provided a transverse bar 25 at a point just below the delivery end of the straw-raddles 26 and inserted in said bar several fingers 27, which are close enough to prevent the straw from being thrown back and at the same time provide a free passage forchaff and other refuse.

In operation the rotary fork takes the straw as it comes from the raddle 26 and carries it around between the fan-casing 14 and the outer casing 28 to in front of the blast from the fan, the course being that indicated by the curved arrows a and b in Fig. 3, while the direction of the blast is indicated by the arrow 0.. The outer casing 28 develops into a conduit 29, leading to the straw-stacker stump, the course being thence to the curved telescopic rear end of the trunk or chute 11, similarly as in my former patent. By this means of driving the rotary fork I avoid all gearing and reduce greatly the liability of Wear and breakage. I am also enabled to maintain the proper tension of the belt at all times, the same being capable of being instantly regulated whenever desired and without stopping the machine. The bar 10 mounted on the fan-shaft and adapted to throw the straw into the path of the air-blast from the fan, a large pulley on said rotary fork, a belt running therefrom to a pulley on a counter-shaft, and another belt running from said counter-shaft back to the fan-shaft, whereby suitable relative speeds between the fork and fan are secured, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, in a pneumatic strawstacker, of a fan-shaft, two fans thereon, a fan-casing for each fan, a rotary fork mounted on the fan-shaft between the two fans the central portion whereof constitutes a pulley, a belt running from said vpulley to a countershaft outside the separator, an idler for bringing the two members of the belt close together and also constituting a tightener, and suitable means for driving said counter-shaft.

3. The combination of a separator, a pneumatic straw-stacker secured to said separator the fan whereof is within the inclosure behind and below the straw-carrying raddles of said separator, a rotary fork mounted on the fan-shaft and adapted to throw the straw as it comes from the raddles into the path of the blast from the fan, and a slatted fender positioned below the straw=raddles and alongside the path of the fork whereby the straw is prevented from being thrown by the fork back onto the sieves of the separator while free egress of the chaff and dust is permitted.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 12th day of June, A. D. 1901.

, JAMES B. SOHUMAN. [L. S.] Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD,

L. H. CoLvIN. 

